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Thursday, March 20, 2014

Histoires de Parfums- Blanc Violette

Blanc Violette by Histoires de Parfums is a fragrance I like very much. In theory. It should be a real favorite, considering that it offers so many facets that I love in perfume, but for some reason I just can't connect with Blanc Violette on an emotional level, no matter how hard I try (and how much I spray).It's so pretty, but there's an emptiness there which might be just in my head and nose. Victoria of EauMG struggles in a similar manner and suggests a certain musk anosmia. I believe she's right.

The dry and crisp opening speaks of vintage men's cologne as well as of vintage face powder, I guess it's a shared boudoir kind of thing, which is nice and rather sophisticated. I'm reminded of both Grey Flannel from back in the day, as well as the lovely violet face powder from Besame Cosmetics. It's a good start, and my general fondness of Histoires de Parfums always makes me hope that this time something is going to click and I'll fall madly in love with Blanc Violette, but there's a cold and dark abyss right after the crunchy powdery iris notes appears, and the perfume becomes vague and noncommittal. Blanc Violette is infuriatingly aloof. No matter what I try, including drenching myself before hopping on the elliptical, I can't make its proverbial blood pressure rise.

It's not that I can't tell that I'm wearing a perfume. It's there, a cool and breezy violet over soft and crunchy snow, but whatever happens beyond that point is a mystery to me. Perhaps I've been fumigating rooms and people with some crazy wild musk every time I've tested Blanc Violette during the last five or six years. But most likely I just smell as though I've fallen into a giant vat of face powder and rolled in it good and well. I do wonder what I might be missing.

Histoires de Parfums- Blanc Violette ($125, 60ml EDP) is available from Luckyscent, Twisted Lily, Henri Bendel and many other retailers, all of them supplied me with free samples of Blanc Violette throughout the years.

1 comment:

Interesting about the potential musk anosmia. I know there are certain musks I simply can't detect (and have often wondered if that's why I find MKK and CB's Musk Reinvention to be so gorgeous on my skin or if I do just have skank friendly skin chemistry). The list of notes for Blanc Violette sounded like it would be an absolute full bottle, possibly no sampling necessary perfume for me. Fortunately reason jumped in, waving its arms and I didn't skip the sampling stage. No magic happened for me. Have tried to layer it with other perfumes (some violets, other florals and woods) and that helps, but it's not been enough to make me feel any need to get a full bottle. Maybe it would work better on fabrics. Just went to read your review of the Besame powder. Thanks for mentioning it! Adore their lipsticks, but since I so rarely wear powder, had never checked it out before. This actually sounds pretty wonderful and I wouldn't mind if it did have a more intense scent.Anna

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